20 Long Months
by Huddyalways-24-BK-MA
Summary: What happened after season 5! Sorry it's been so long, but I just posted chapter 28! And new readers, dont be frightened by the large amount of chapters, a lot of them are pretty short!
1. Chapter 1

The events that take place in this fic are the 20 months before day six, right after the end of day five! please enjoy and review! 

Audrey thought her head was about to crack open, why hadn't they found him yet, she thought! The agent incharge walked up to her.

"Ms. Raines, I sorry but Jack Bauer is MIA, we've searched everywhere but we can't seem to find him!" the agent told her. She broke down and started crying. She sat on the ground just thinking, how could she lose him again? What had either of them done to deserve this? Not knowing what else to do she accepted the agent's offer to have her driven anywhere she would like to go. The hospital she thought, she needed to see her father so very badly. After getting settled in the car she pulled out her cellphone, she had to call Chloe, someone who would understand what she was going through, after all she was like one of Jack's best friends!

24  
Chloe and Morris were at her house having some coffee when she got the call from Audrey. At the moment she had been telling Morris everything that had happened yesterday. About Edgar, Tony, President Palmer, and Michelle. She talked about the nerve gas and the other terrorist attacks. She had even told him about Spencer who she now hated with a passion. She picked up her Cell when it rang.

"Hello, Audrey?" she asked.

"Chloe? I don't know what to do, something happened to jack, he's gone missing!" she admitted to her crying as if she had just found out she'd never be able to smile or laugh again, but then again this was how she did feel!

"Audrey, what do you mean Jack's missing?" she asked despertely hoping the answer wasn't what she had interputered, but it was.

"He went to take a phone call from Kim, and he was taking so long I went to check on him but her wasn't there Chloe, he wasn't there!" as she repeated these words she suddenly felt a eary fealing, like there was something she was missing, And there it was, she was missing something. The man that had told Jack Kim was on the line, was she mistaken or had he really been Chinese?

"Audrey, are you still there?" Chloe inquired after a long silence on Audrey's end.

"Yes, I have to go bye I'll talk to you soon!" and just like that she hung up on Chloe. This startled Chloe.

"What's going on?" Morris asked in that charming British accent of his.

"Jack's gone missing and Audrey just hung up on me," Chloe just kind of fell into Morris's arms, not Jack too was her only thought, is God really up there? But then she broke the hug knoiwing that one other person should know as well, she dialed Bill's phone number.

24  
After getting out of the shower Bill had put on a pair of jeans and a T-Shirt ready for a day without CTU. He had decided not to go to breakfast after Karen had declined his offer, unwilling however which did keep him in a rather okay mood, or okayer than usual. Then he got the call. "Bucanhan?" he answered.

"Mr. Bucanhan, it's Chloe," the voice on the other end said rather shooken.

"Chloe, what is it?" he asked knowing something is wrong.

"I thought you should know, Jack's gone missing," she exclaimed cautionasly.

"Oh my God, how?" Bill asked in shock.

"I don't know, Audrey said he was taking a phone call from Kim and disapeared!"

"Is Audrey okay?" he questioned with concern.

"I don't think so, but she hung up on me!"

"Okay," he said just out of lack of anything else to say.

"I'm going go now and try to find Audrey, talk to you later," she said.

"Okay bye," he said in the dissapointed voice that owned Bill so many times, you could ask anyone it was his own signature. He didn't know what to do now, he asked himself the same question as everyone else, why Jack? What had he done that was so bad? He felt like crying but he just couldn't. He wanted to talk to the first person that had poped into his mind, so he did.

"Karen Hayes?" she answered the phone not knowing who it was due to the fact that she hadn't memorized Bill's number, or at least not yet.

"Hey, it's Bill," he simply stated, he knew it had only been an hour since they had said good bye but he was still happy to hear her voice as if they hadn't spoken in months. On the other end of the line Karen was also happy to hear Bill's voice, debriefings always sucked, but she couldn't help but notice the sadness in her new friends voice.

"what's wrong?" she asked with deep concern.

"No one can find Jack," he admitted right after she had asked.

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"He's missing," he said. Karen was shocked to hear this.

"I'm so sorry Bill," she finally said, "where are you?"

"At my house," he answered.

"I thought you were going to breakfast?" she inquired.

"I didn't feel like eating alone," he admitted sadly.

"What's your adress again?" she asked.

"Why?" he requested.

"I'm coming to see you," she out and out stated.

"Don't you have to catch a plane?" he asked.

"They don't really need me, you do," she sad. He gave her the adress and they spoke as if they had been best friends for years, instead of just meeting each other the day before.

24

"I'm going to go home and grab something to wear tomorrow okay?" Morris informed Chloe.

"Okay," she said, so after grabbing his keys he started walking toward the door. "Hey Morris"  
"Yes darling?" he asked.

"Thanks for staying with me, there aren't that many people that really care what happens to me," she said giving him a faint smile.

"I want to Chloe," he responded then after returning the smile he left.

24  
"Audrey, honey it's going to be okay," Heller told his daughter.

"Dad, you don't know that, no one knows that!" she was crying again. Heller sat up in the hospital bed. "Dad, I think I might know something too." "What do you mean by that?" he asked not understanding her comment.

"About Jack, the man that told Jack Kim was on the phone," she paused as she cried a little harder because all she kept thinking about was if she had noticed this before it was too late.

"What, what about him?" Heller inquired sitting up even more.

"He was Chinese," Audrey finally admitted to her father. He looked just as shocked as Audrey had when she realized this herself.

"Are you sure?" he asked, this had been a tricky question before, but now that she had regained herself a little she was confident in her claim.

"Yes, he was chinese," she said. Heller got on the phone immedently and started calling anyone that would pick up. Audrey was grateful to have such a father that she did but he was wrong, it wasn't going to be okay, she could feel it.

24  
"Are you sure? Okay, thanks bye," Mike Novick hangs up the phone.

"What's going on Mike?" asked Aaron who stood up from his chair.

"Jack Bauer has been abducted," Mike said.

"abducted, what's that mean?"

"He went missing a while ago and Audrey Raines who was there with Jack told her father Secertary Heller that Jack went to take the phone call from his daughter, that the man that delivered the news was Chinese," Mike said in his signature Mike tone he had been using all day.

"I can't believe it," Aaron said and sat back down, or more like fell back down out of disbelief. Mike looked down as he always did when he needed to think.

24  
The door bell rang. Bill went down the stairs to open it. When he did Karen was standing there. All he did was walk strait toward her and wrap his arms around her. She responded by doing the same, she couldn't help but feel so bad for Bill.

"I thought Homeland wanted you back in Washington immendently," Bill finally stated.

"Well that came from the whitehouse when Logan was in charge, and even if they did, I think we've all done enough today that we can have a little break to ourselves," Karen replied.

"True," Bill said, he then invited her in.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanx for the reviews, they mean a lot to me! This chapter focuses on Bill and Karen. Please review and tell me what you think!! **

"So you haven't heard anything else on Jack yet?" Karen asked Bill. They were sitting in the kitchen. Bill handed her a glass of water then sat next her at the island.

"No and I couldn't get ahold of Audrey," he said.

"She must be a mess," Karen added.

"I know, after everything that's happened in these past months she's had problems," Bill stated.

"What do you mean?" asked Karen, Bill had forgotten Karen didn't know about Jack and Audrey's history.

"Well Jack was working for Secretary Heller when Audrey and him started seeing each other. Audrey was separted from her husband Paul," Bill paused for a moment to talk a drink and try and remember the story that he had heard from Chloe. "Paul was injured while helping Jack, Audrey was going to get back with Paul after she found out he was paralyzed from the waist down," Bill paused for another drink of water. He then proceeded in telling Karen everything he knew. Then he got to the end of his story, "Jack had faked his own death, I guess it was only Chloe, President Palmer, Tony, and Michelle that knew about it."

"Michelle?" Kare stated.

"Yeah, what about her?" Bill asked curious as to Karen's curiousity,

"I've heard that there was something between the two of you," she said, not wanting to upset Bill this was all she said.

"Well we were friends, but there wasn't much more than that," Bill said, because of the current crisis involving Jack along with all the terriost attacks that had happened in the last couple of days he had really had time to reflect on his thoughts of Michelle's death. Of course he was said, but happy that before she had died she had had time with the man she really loved, Tony. Bill becamed sad again thinking over all the people that had died. All the people he had worked with at CTU as well.

"Bill, are you alright?" inquired Karen.

"I'm fine," he lied.

"I don't think your fine," Karen stated. Bill didn't know why Karen could figure this out, anyone else would have just thought Bill was being Bill, he was that good at hiding how he felt. But this time it didn't seem to work, Karen could see right through him. He thought it through, maybe Karen wouldn't think that he was being weak, after all she did come to help even after Homeland had ordered her back, ignoring s direct order like that didn't seem like something a women like Karen would do.

"It's been a hard couple of days," he said.

"I know, and being through that whole nerve gas event at CTU," Karen said.

"Yeah," Bill now felt like opening up to someone. "I just sat there."

"What are talking about?" Karen requested confused by his statement.

"There were people dying all around me and I just sat there in my office watching them."

"Bill, don't blame yourself, you could of died and you didn't, thats all that matters," Karen said trying to comfort him.

"It just doesn't seem right," said Bill. "I got to live and all those people I worked with didn't."

"There was nothing you could do," Karen said. She placed her hand on top of Bill's and they stared into each others eyes. "Bill, I do hope you understand I didn't mean to do what I did by letting Miles force Audrey into puting all the blame on to you."

"I all ready told you, you don't need to apologize for anything," Bill gave her a slight grin.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanx for the reviews again, sorry this is so short, if you tell me what you think maybe I'll write more this weekend! R&R **

While Bill and Karen had been talking Audrey was still with her father.

"Audrey, you need to get some rest, I have seen you looking this tired since-" Heller stops himself, for the reason the he was going to say since everyone had thought Jack were dead and he didn't believe metioning Jack would be a good idea.

"Dad I can't sleep right now," Audrey said frustrated. Heller stood up. "Dad, don't get up, the doctor said you're not supposed move!" Heller disreguared what his daughter said completely.

"I'll lay back down as soon as you go home and try to get some sleep," he tried bargining.

"That's the key word, try. I could try to sleep, just like I could try to fly, it doesn't mean it's going to happen!"

"Honey calm down, you look so tired, that's all I'm trying to say," he said in hopes that him using the word trying wasn't going to keep her on the subject.

"I know your just trying to help Dad," she said, then she stood up and gave her father a hug. She started crying again and then agreed to go home and "try" to get some rest. After leaving the hospital Audrey drove home. The funny thing she thought was how for 18 months she had lived her life fine without Jack, she had moved on. But this was asking too much, how was she supposed to move on not ever knowing what happened to Jack, at least before she had thought he was dead. She took a couple of sleeping pills because she was truly tired the only problem was that her mind wouldn't shut off.

24

"Thank you!" Mike closed the phone rather hardly.

"What did you find something out?" Martha Logan asked, she was now sitting in the room with Mike and Aaron waiting on any news about what had happened to Jack. She and Aaron ahd been hand in hand the whole time, she knew Aaron had known Jack Bauer for a long time and he must have been sad that something had happened to him.

"Yeah," Mike's voice was sad, "Jack's been put in a Chinese prison." Aaron looks down, as did Mike.

"I can't believe this," Aaron said. He was hugging Martha now, he needed some sort of comfort. Mike sat down in the chair oppisite them and put his head in his hands.

24

Slowly news began to leak of Jack's whereabouts. First it got to Bill who had been called by Mike after he had collected himself.

"Yeah, I understand what it means Mike." Bill hung up his phone.

"What'd Mike say?" Karen asked.

"Jack has been sent to a Chinese prison," Bill relayed the results, "we have no way of getting him back."

"Oh Bill, I'm so sorry," Karen said with so much compassion she'd surprised herself. Bill looked at Karen and like he had done when he had answered the door, wrapped him arms around her. The two just sat there in silence.

24

Morris had gotten back to Chloe's house to find the entire place dark. He called out for Chloe but there was no answer. He walked into the living room and heard someone crying on the couch. He walked over to her.

"Jack's in a Chinese prison, there's no way of getting him out now that the Chinese have him," she told Morris without him even having to ask what was wrong. She sat up and gave him a long hug.


	4. Chapter 4

**I know I said I'd update sooner but I had a book report due! anyway thanx 4 reading and please R&R I know it's short but I'll update really soon, I promise this time! **

"So what happens now?" Karen asked Bill out of lack of anything else to say at this point.

"We can't do anything, so I don't know," Bill admitted. This kind of scared Karen, she hadn't heard Bill once in the past days that she had known him say that he didn't know what came next.

"Does Audrey know yet?" she asked.

"I don't think so," Bill said. He suddenly reached for his phone again and dialed Mike's number. "Mike, does Audrey know yet?"

"No, I was just about to call her," Mike informed Bill.

"No, don't," Bill said abrubtly, catching both Mike and Karen off gaurd.

"Why not?" Mike inquired.

"I'd like to tell her if that's okay," he suggested.

"Sure," Mike answered, "you can tell her, bye."

"Bye," Bill and Mike both hung up the phone.

"Bill, are you sure you're up for this?" Karen asked, concered on how having to break such horrible news to Audrey was not only going to effect Audrey, but Bill as well.

"I have to do this," he insisted.

"Okay, but if you don't think you can in the end, just hand the phone to me," Karen responded.

"I appreciate that," Bill told her greatfully, "but I think I can do it." Bill dialed the phone with ease knowing Karen was there to support him.

24

Audrey woke from her drug induced sleep to the phone ringing. She hurriedly sat up and pick it up. "Hello?"

"Audrey, it's Bill," he said a little edgy.

"Bill, what is it? Do you have any news?" she was desparte. Suddenly Bill realized how hard this was going to be. He took a couple deep breaths but maintained his composure because Karen was watching and he knew she'd make him let her tell Audrey and he didn't want to put that burden on her.

"Audrey, Mike informed me that Jack has been sent to a prison in China, and we don't have any way of getting him out, I'm sorry." There was a long dead silence on the other end of the phoneline that freaked Bill out. "Audrey?"

"I'm still here," she stated. Bill knew she was trying to fight back the tears.

"Audrey it's okay, you can cry," he said to her. But she didn't, she seemed angry more than anything else.

"I don't need to cry, it's just why Bill?"

"Why what?"

"Why does all this crap keep happening?" she answered. "Why does it always happen to all of us? The ones who deserve it never get what's truly coming to them. I can just imagine Logan right now, he's probably going to get off on everything, and for what? Just so the citizens don't have to find out how much of a trader their president is?" Bill didn't say anything for a while, then finally responded.

"I know Audrey," he said.

"I'm going to hang up now," she informed him, "thank you Bill." And before anything else could be said Audrey's end of the phoneline went dead.

"How is she?" Karen asked.

"She's angry, like the rest of us she's trying to figure out why all these things keep happening. Karen placed her hand on Bill's shoulder, giving him a comforting smle.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanx 4 the reviews! By the way I never put a disclaimer so here: All the characters, and a few setting and such things as that belong to fox and the original creators! Anyway, this short chapter is about Morris and Chloe. **

Chloe woke up at went into her living room where Morris was still asleep. She made coffee and filled two cups, she walked back into the living room and shook Morris awake.

"Coffee?" she offered him.

"Thank you," he accepted. They sat on the couch for a minute sipping their coffee.

"So do you have to get back to work?" Chloe asked Morris.

"Well, I'm sure I do, my boss is such a jerk, and the accent! Really annoying, which sounds pathetic considering I'm my boss," Morris replied looking at Chloe.

"Oh yeah," she simply stated.

"Are you okay?" he asked, the thing was this sudden moment of silent made Chloe think, and having any kind of moment alone with her own thoughts was a huge burden to Chloe.

"No," she answered truthfully.

"Anything you want to talk about?" he inquired knowing there had to be something.

Chloe stared at her coffee before answering him, "How's your life been going?"

Morris thought this was an odd question, considering the fact that he thought they were about to have another deep conversation. Little did he know, it would end up something like that. "Well, I guess it's been okay."

Chloe nodded her head and looked at her coffee again.

"Why do you ask?" Morris requested.

"What went wrong between us?" she blurted out.

This is the conversation Morris knew would they'd come to eventually. "Me," he answered.

"What's that mean?"

"Well, I wasn't very thoughtful of what was going on in your life, just my own."

"You've really came around haven't you?" Chloe was staring into his eyes intensely that it was starting to make him a little nervous.

"Well, when you stop pouring gallons of alcohol down your throat each week that tends to happen," he admitted. Chloe gve him a little smile, which he returned.

"So you stopped drinking, and started selling shoes?"

"Yeah," Morris thought he was say something now. She was staring at him too much for him not to say what he wanted to at this very moment. "I'm so so sorry Chlo, I shouldn't have been drinking, the truth is over that past few months for some reason I've been thinking of you a lot."

Chloe didn't know how to respond to this, she had thought of Morris a little as well. "I've thought of you too." That's where Morris couldn't take it anymore, he drew Chloe into his arms and started to kiss her.

**Sorry about that little cliffhanger there! **


	6. Chapter 6

**I know this is short but that's because I'm posting it separate from the next. After reading this continue to the next chapter and you'll understand why I separated them! Thanx for reading! **

"Are you guys going to be okay?" Martha asked Aaron and Mike. They had just found out about Jack Bauer and him being locked in a Chinese prison. Aaron was pretty shaken up, as was Mike but they were both trying to hide it.

"I just can't believe this," stated Mike, with the strangest look on his face. When it came to wild expressions Mike Novick was the King, but the look on his face at this moment was stranger than every, Martha noticed it and it gave her a bit of a jolt.

"Me neither," Aaron agreed. They all sat in a few moment of silence again.

"We should go," Martha pointed out breaking the silence that was so bitterly cold.

"Where? What happens to the three of us now?" Mike wondered. Then they sat for another moment, the truth was when they had all been helping Jack and Chloe obtain evidence against Logan they never thought of was to become of themselves once it was all over. Each of their spines tingled as they thought of the press and America in general would do to them if they knew any sort of information at all. All they could do was hope that for their own sake, nothing had leaked out.

24

"Daddy," Audrey heard herself say as her father took her into his arms the moment after entering her home. Shortly before Audrey had heard the news of Jack being in a Chinese prison. Out of shock she had called her father. She heard her call her father daddy and she knew it sounded extremely childish, but at the moment she didn't care. She needed someone to grip onto because she felt as if her whole entire world was crumbling beneath her and if she didn't find something to hang onto then she would whither away along with it.

"I know Sweetie, I know," he responded to her. He had stopped himself fro telling her that everything was going to be alright because, one he knew this would only upset Audrey as it had earlier, and two he wasn't sure if anything was going to be alright himself, a phrase that he had uttered to his daughter a lot in their lives together now in a way put him to shame.


	7. Chapter 7

**Like I said in chapter six I separated the chapters because in this chapter 2 weeks has passed since the events in Chapter six. So please R&R and I hope you enjoy! **

"Hey, it's me," Karen announced to Bill. She had just stepped out of a meeting with President Gardner and his Chief of Staff. Her and Bill had talked everyday since her return to Washington and were already great friends. She had news that would excit both of them.

"Hi, so what's going on?" Bill asked, it had only been to weeks since they last spoke face to face but it seemed like ages. Just as they had only known each other for a little over two weeks but it felt like a lifetime.

"I'm leaving for L.A. tonight, I should be back tomorrow," she told Bill happily.

"That's great, I can't wait to see you. How about you meet me for dinner tomorrow night then?" Bill asked her.

"Okay, I'll meet you at your house around seven then," Karen suggested to him.

"Okay see ya then." Then both got off the phone and as Karen put the cellphone back into her pocket the significance of what had just happened. She wasn't sure but had she just set a date with Bill? She tried to shake it off and until the time came think of it as dinner together as good friends, something they had done a few times. She couldn't think of any reason as to why this time it was different other than the fact that is just felt different, another clue that it wasn't different was how much she had thought of Bill since her return. The truth was se had thought of him an awful lot and this had just occurred to her. She walked down the hall to go to her office so she could pack her things. On the other side of the country Bill had been hit with the same thing as Karen. He first asked himself if her had just asked Karen Hayes out on a date, and had she really accepted. He just had thought a lot of Karen over the last couple of weeks, he had thought how comforting she could be, along with how understanding, and fun she was to be around. But most of all he had thought of how muched he missed seeing her.

24

Chloe was washing the dishes when she felt Morris come up behind her and wrap his arms around her midsection. She smiled, now that they were back together again everything seemed to be going fantastically well. They had not fought, with the exception of stupid little pedy stuff like her asking Morris if he would take out the garbage and him responding by telling her that it wasn't his house. Chloe also found that Morris was now ready to be there for her whenever she needed him. He had already proved this by listening to everything she had to say no matter how big or small of an impact the conversation had on either of them.

"We have got to get to work," she said turning around after giving him a playful smile. Morris kissed her.

"Yes mother," he had sarcastically as usual. Chloe just smiled again and went to get her laptop and coat. They were soon out the door and on their way to CTU.


	8. Chapter 8

**Here is another chapter that will be separated. I'm doing a lot of separating because I'm going back to while everything was happening with Bill & Karen and Chloe & Morris, there was stuff happening in the other two major stories. I just dont want to be missing these big chunks of time for a couple storylines and not the others! So enjoy and read the next chapter! **

"I hate leaving you alone in L.A.," Heller told Audrey. They were at the airport and he was getting ready to get on his private plane to Washington. He was sceptical of leaving Audrey in L.A.

"I'll be fine Dad," she said to him giving him a confindent smile. She saw he looked very worried. They both hugged for the hundreth time.

"Just remember to call me if you need anything, you'll be working out of CTU right?" he asked also sceptical of that, CTU brought back horrible memories for anyone who visited it and and him and his daughter were no exception to that.

"Yes, and I know you don't like that, but I think it's good, there's people there that know what I'm going through," Audrey explained trying to make her father realize what that her desision was somewhat a smart idea.

"Okay," he said, just looking at Audrey.

"Secretary Heller, we should board the plane now," Hellers security detail informed him.

"Alright just a second," he said waving him off and then turning back to his daughter. "I love you honey," he kissed her on the forehead and gave her another hug.

"I love you too Dad," she said.

"I'll call you when I land," he said before walking off. As soon as his plane took off Audrey got back into her car and drove home. Tomorrow she would go back to work at CTU, there was as her and her father had discussed one good thing and one bad thing about that. The good thing was she'd be around people like Chloe, Bill, and Curtis, the bad thing was going back would open up wounds they she hoped would have healed ages ago. She decided to get a good night sleep before the day started.

24

"Are you okay?" This time it was Mike that asked Martha the question.

"I'm fine," she lied. They had just finished moving Martha into her new home. Out of lack of any work to do Mike decided to help out not only a former first lady, but a great friend. Aaron had signed on to be head of Martha's secret service detail.

"I know when you're lieing Martha, come on you can tell me what's wrong," he told her hoping she would open up.

"It's just-" she started but stopped.

"What?"

"I still don't get why all this happened," she confided in him.

"It's going to take some time to adjust and maybe someday all of us will get the answer to that question," Mike said.

"I hope," she said. Mike gave her a friendly hug and got up. Martha sat in her new living room for a while longer, but the adjusting part wasn't happening fast enough for her. She cried a little.


	9. Chapter 9

**Here's the next day! R&R please!**

Karen's plane couldn't land fast enough, she had only slept for a couple of hours and spent the rest wondering what lay ahead for her as she started working at CTU. Just before she had gotten on the plane, Karen had gotten a call from President Gardner's Chief of Staff that the new president wanted her to work at CTU as a consultant for Homeland Security. This made Karen happy since she had presented this idea to the President so Bill wouldn't be taken out of position of director of CTU. This had been her last resort, since the President wouldn't hear her out that it was Bill that was responsible for stopping the terriosts attacks and not her, she decided to use that to her advantage. She suggested that instead of removing Bill, he should appoint her as a kind of advisoir, he had told her he would think about it. What Karen didn't know when she stepped into a taxi to take her to her apartment, was what truly lied ahead for her.

"Hey," Bill answered his office phone, he had seen Karen's cell on the caller ID.

"Hi," she paused, getting ready to tell Bill the big news. "Bill-" she started.

"Oh, I don't like that tone, what is it?"

"Oh it's nothing to be worried about, it's just Gardner wouldn't listen to me when I told him you were the reason all the terriost attacks were stopped."

"That doesn't sound promising, why shouldn't I be worried?"

"Well after her refused to believe me I used the fact that he held me responsible to my advantage and asked to be placed in CTU as an advisoir. Before I got on my plane I got a call that he accepted my offer. I know this isn't very happy news, but-" Bill interupted Karen again.

"What do you mean? This is great news," he exclaimed.

"Really?" Karen asked shocked by Bill response.

"Yeah, you'll be working at CTU, this is great," he said to her. Karen could sense in Bill's tone that he was really happy and not just trying to stop her from feeling guilty.

"Oh, okay," she said not knowing what else to say.

"So I'll see tonight at seven right?" he confirmed.

"Yes," Karen said with more spark in her voice than before.

"Okay then, see ya then," he said.

"Bye," Karen hung up and as did Bill. Now they were both completely sure, this was different, this was a date.


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanx 4 the reviews! Enjoy this chapter! **

"You can come in," Martha said, she had heard a knock on the door and knew it was Aaron.

"Martha? Are you alright?" he asked out of concern. Martha had made Aaron promise that from now on he would call her Martha and not Mrs. Logan because now everytime she heard that it made her shutter.

"Please don't ask me that, I'm tired of being asked that," she said in a scolding way.

"I'm sorry, it's just you haven't talked to anyone much," he said. Martha could tell he was hurt by her rather harsh comment. She got up and walked over to Aaron.

"I'm sorry, you don't have to apologize. Is there anything else?" she asked.

"Other than caring for your well-being?" he asked her in a joking tone giving Martha a smile. She hugged him and then he continued. "Actually there is, Mrs. Suvarov called a while ago and asked you to give her a call, she said she's in Washington and her and President Suvarov are flying down here for a couple of days and wanted to know if you could have lunch."

"Why are they in Washington?" Martha inquired.

"Mike said that President Gardner had a meeting with President Suvarov about the treaty. He was curious as to why Charles resighed after such an accomplishment," Aaron said carefully since usually any mention of the former traitor of a president sent Martha into an odd state. This time however, it didn't she remained calm.

"Then I should call her back," Martha said.

"Are you sure that's wise?" Aaron asked.

"Why not?"

"She's going to ask about Charles," he said to her. "What will you tell her?"

"The truth," she said, "she's one of my best friends, I can't keep something like this a secret from her.

"Okay," Aaron said with a sigh.

"It will be okay," Martha assured him, strangly unsure herself.

24

It was 12 PM and Audrey was almost at CTU.

"Chloe is a station set up for Audrey?" Bill asked.

"Yeah, Morris set it up a couple if minutes ago," Chloe said, she was unsure of how to act toward Audrey. She wasnt't good at the comforting someone part, she had tried years earlier when Audrey's husband was in surgery and she had failed terribly.

As if reading Chloe's mind he stated, "we should just treat Audrey like we usually do, don't be over the top. Okay?" he said so both Chloe and Morris could hear. He had already said this to Curtis because he was sure their paths would eventually pass. "And Chloe please whatever you do, don't try comforting her, I know you sort of know what she's going through, but we all know that's not your strong suit. Morris and Chloe both couldn't help but laugh a little.

"I won't, promise," she added.

"Good, now to move to another subject. We need to set up another high security clearance work station by tomorrow."

"Why, who for?" Chloe asked curiously.

"Karen Hayes," he said.

"Why, what is Karen going to be doing here?" she asked. She had heard that President Gardner didn't like that Bill was in charge of CTU.

"Working here, what else?"

"For how long?"

"I don't know exact time, a while though," he informed her.

"Why?"

"Because Gardner refused to let me go on as director," he started. Chloe cut him off, instead of listening to the rest of what he had to say.

"So you're leaving?"

"No, you didn't let me finish, Karen is being sent as an adviser from Homeland," he said.

"So she'll be taking over again? Figures she's so power hungry," Chloe said rolling her eyes. This angered Bill.

"Stop rolling your eyes, Karen suggested the idea so I wasn't fired, that was after she spent days trying to force Gardner to believe that I was the major contrubitor in stopping the terrorist attacks two weeks ago. She did a great thing and I suggest you treat her respectfully when she gets here," he said to Chloe angrily, not shouting so he wouldn't cause a scene.

"Okay, I didn't know, I'm sorry," she said. Bill walked away. Morris and Chloe looked at each other.

"What was that about?" Morris asked with a stunned look on his face.

"I think Mr. Bucanhan has a crush on Karen," she whispered to Morris. He smiled in agreement.

Minutes later Audrey passed through sercurity. She was greeted by Bill who told her the current situation. She thanked him and got to work, keeping her mind off everything else.

24

**I was tired, but I knew a few of you were waiting for this part so here, I enjoyed writing this, tell me what ya think! **

Bill was in the middle of putting on his tie when the doorbell rang. He finished and answered it.

"Hi," Karen said.

"Hi," his heart gave out a jolt, he couldn't believe Karen was finally back, after letting her in and shutting the door her gave her a tight hug. "I'm so happy you're back."

"As am I, it's great to see you," she smiled at him. "I'm sorry was I interupting something? It seems like you were getting ready for something," she said sarcastically.

"Very funny, I'll get my jacket and we can go," Bill said. They got and Bill's car and he pulled out of the driveway.

"So where are we going?" Karen questioned.

"I thought we'd grab a happy meal at McDonalds, I mean what makes a person happier than a happy meal with a toy in every bag?" he said sending back Karen's earlier sarcasism.

"Great," she replied. "So, where are we really going?"

"Well I'm sure you'll find out soon."

"You're not going to tell me? Well that's kind if mean," she said.

"What can I say? I've been told a few times that I can be rather cruel," he said with still a hint of sarcasism. Karen smiled to herself, she loved being around Bill. They arrived at a nice restraunt where they were seated immedently.

"This place is pretty," Karen exclaimed.

"Yeah, and minus the happy meal and everything," he smiled again. After ordering their dinner the waitor left them alone. "So how long have you been living in L.A., you never told me."

"About a year now," Karen responded, "before that was Washington DC and that's about it."

"You've only lived in Washington DC and Los Angeles?" Bill asked, he didn't know that about Karen.

"Yep, my dad worked in the government. I knew what I wanted to do when I was ten."

"Wow, when I was ten I thought I wanted to be an actor," Bill revieled.

"Interesting."

"Oops, I've never told anyone that," Bill admitted, they both laughed. When their dinner came they were still talking, Bill told Karen that he had been born in Seattle, Washington, but he had been all over the country. Even though they had shared a lot with each other two weeks ago, they still were missing so much. They finally left and drove back to Bill's house.

"Well I should get home, big day tomorrow," she smiled, "Bill I had an absolutely great time." Karen couldn't seem to find any other words to describe the night she had had.

"So did I," Bill agreed. His moment was there and his wasn't about to miss it, Bill leaned down and kissed Karen. "I'll see you tomorrow then." They parted ways, Bill went inside and Karen went to her car. They again shared the same thoughts, this time the thoughts were a little more strong, Bill thought, he was in love with Karen. And of course Karen thought she was in love with Bill.


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanx for the kind reviews! Please enjoy this chapter, it was as always fun to write! **

"Hi Karen, I'm supposed to explain to you what's going on," Chloe said, she was a little timid because of how Bill acted yesterday, she didn't want Karen to find out that she had called her power hungry.

"Hi, so what is going on?" she asked. Karen had been nervous of this day because of how great the night before was, she was curious as to how her and Bill would act toward each other.

"Not much at the moment, but we need to deal with something in the server room," she said.

"What is it?" Karen asked.

"Some protocols for Division, you can put your stuff in your locker," Chloe told her handing her a piece of paper with the locker number and combonation on it.

"Thanks, I'll be right there then," Karen said and walked to the locker room. This is where she ran into something awkward, Bill.

"Hi," he said shyly.

"Hi," she repeated.

"So first day as an official employee at CTU," he said, "think you can handle the pressure?"

"I'm not sure I can, maybe I could use a little help," Karen said smurking at Bill. She closed her locker and flipped her adjusted her hair after she had taken her coat off.

"Well, if you need any kind of help you can come to me," Bill said boldly.

"I appreciate that, see around then boss," she said with another smile and then left Bill alone in the locker room. He was just smiling, this little encounter put him in a very good mood. After leaving Bill, Karen joined Chloe in the server room.

"What took you so long?" Chloe asked.

"Locker got stuck," she lied.

"Okay," she waved it off and explained to Karen what Division needed.

"So why am I here?" Karen asked.

"They wanted someone from Homeland to look over the protocols before they're sent and I thought it would be faster since you're here if you looked over them with me instead of sending them to Homeland," Chloe explained to her.

"Oh, that makes since," she replied. They started to work through the long list of protocols. Chloe thought the silence was awkward so she struck up a conversation.

"So you really saved Mr. Buchanan?" she stated more than asking.

"Yeah, I guess," she answered back.

"Why'd you do it? Was Gardner giving you the credit?"

"Because I didn't deserve any credit, I came here and was working against all of you."

"Any other reason?" Chloe asked.

"What other reason?"

"I don't know," Chloe said.

"Okay then," she said.

"I'm going to be blunt," announced Chloe.

"Are you ever not?"

"I just tell it like it is," Chloe stated, Karen nodded her head. "So on that thought, I think Mr. Buchanan has a crush on you."

"What?" Karen was shocked, this definatly wasn't what she was excepting to come out of Chloe's mouth. "Why would you think that?"

"Well, he's a little defensive of you," Chloe said.

"Oh, really?" Karen asked, Chloe obviously had the impression that Karen would hate that Bill liked her. "Once again, why would you think that?"

"Well that's a long story, but I had a misunderstanding and he got mad because he thought I offended you." Karen laughed, she realized this was probably a bounding moment for her and Chloe.

"Well then, that's interesting."

"Why?"

"Because I have a crush on Mr. Buchanan," she pointed out boldly. Chloe was dumbstruck.

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"It's only been a couple of weeks, but it seems like forever," Mrs. Suvarov said to Martha. They were having tea in Martha's garden.

"So was there anything important you wanted to talk about?" Martha said after taking a sip of tea.

"Sort of," she admitted, "we were just wondering why President Logan resigned."

"Okay, because we're friends I'm not going to lie to you. So you have to promise that whatever I tell you, you won't repeat to anyone."

"Okay, I promise."

"Charles was responsible for the terrorist attacks two weeks ago, along with the assination of President Palmer."

"Oh my God," she said. Mrs. Suvarov was shocked.

"He was behind everything," Martha went on to explain every detail from the fact that Charles knew about the terriost attack on Mrs. Suvarov and her husband, and even knew she was in the limo but he didn't stop it. All the way to how they all got him to confess.

"So that's why you're living here?"

"Yes, we should start the divorce proceedings soon, I just don't think I can bring myself to look at him," Martha said bitterly. Mrs. Suvarov was still trying to take in everything that Martha had told her.

"Thank you for telling me Martha," she said.

"You don't have to thank me, you have the right to know." Martha poured them both more tea and they made small talk until Mrs. Suvarov left.

"Well how did it go?" Aaron asked Martha as she walked into the kitchen.

"Better then both of us suspected, she thanked me for telling her."

"Are you shocked? You shouldn't be, you are a very considerent person." He gave Martha a smile.

"Thank you." She smiled back.


	12. Chapter 12

**I know this is short but I was about to go to bed but I realized I post something every night and so I wanted to give you something! I'm really tired so please if you would be so kind as to disreguard any mistakes and enjoy! **

Chloe and Karen had just finised the Division protocols. After Karen had revealed to Chloe that she had a crush on Bill, Chloe had gone silent. Karen had to stop herself from laughing, why had Chloe been so shocked? What kind of person did she think Karen was, probably a work-aholic.

"Chloe can I ask you a question?"

Chloe looked down but responded quietly, "sure."

"Who do you think I am?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, if you were describing me to someone what would be the first thing you would tell them about me?"

"You're different than you first appear to be," Chloe answered finally looking up at Karen. Now she was getting somewhere.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I have to admit when you first came to CTU I thought you were some bigshot from Homeland that thought you could make an already great working agency better."

"And now, because the first impression doesn't sound too pleasent," Karen stated, sort of wincing at Chloe's comment because she knew that she always came off that way.

"Now, well with your last comment about you liking Mr. Buchanan, maybe you're something more than what you appear," Chloe described, she was still a little uncomfortable with the conversation, but not as much as she had been when it first started.

"What something more?"

"I'm not sure yet," admitted Chloe, then she walked off just leaving Karen. Karen sighed, she looked up at Bill's office where she was sure he was hard at work on something. Here is where she found another thing in common that they shared. She had heard when studying up on Bill after being told she would take his postion two weeks ago, that he came off as a high government official and that was it. In other words, they both came off as evil jerks. They didn't intend that, but when they had a job to do, that just happened. Karen continued with the duties given to her throughout the day, until the time came that she realized a lot of people had left. Chloe and Morris were on their way out the door and only her, Audrey, Bill, and a few other techs were left. Suddenly Audrey got up and handed a few files to one of the techs. Audrey approached Karen without warning.

"Hi," she said poliently.

"Hi," Karen replied.

"So are you leaving soon?" Audrey was making some sort of small talk but Karen couldn't seem to figure out why.

"I think so."

"So how was your first day working _for_ CTU?"

"It was pretty good."

"Did you learn anything?" Audrey asked, Karen still didn't know why.

"Yeah, I learned that Chloe O'Brian is an even more interesting and strange person than I thought."

"Yeah, after a while most people figure that out," Audrey smiled at Karen. This was odd, Karen hadn't really ever seen Audrey Raines smile. "Well I'm going to go, I'll see you tomorrow." Audrey started to walk away but Karen stopped her.

"Oh Audrey," Karen started.

Audrey turned around, "yeah?"

"I never apologized to you, I'm sorry about how I acted two weeks ago."

"You don't have to apologize, I get where you're coming from, I've seen it before."

"What you mean?"

"Well years ago, when I had my first trip into CTU, Erin Driscol was the director and Bill replaced her. No one liked Bill because he wanted to change things. I think that was your plan, and hey look how it worked out with Bill." Audrey smiled again.

"Okay, bye then." Audrey walked off. Karen finished what she was doing and headed up the stairs to Bill's office. "Hi, just wanted to let you know I survived my first day."

"That's very good to hear," Bill responded with a grin. "Well I'm done now too, do you want to maybe get some coffee?"

"I'd love to." Karen and Bill then left CTU.


	13. Chapter 13

**Two weeks later!! Enjoy it!! **

"Okay, Martha you can just sign here and it will all be done," Martha's lawyer told her. She took the pen in her hand and rested it on the line with her name below it. After years and years of being married to Charles Martha was about to end that. She had tried lately to think of the good times, but they had been wiped out of her brain by all of the horrible things. Even before Martha had been informed of Charles' involvement in the terroist attacks and the assanation of her friend David Palmer, she and Charles weren't the same as they were when they had gotten married. This mostly had to do with the fact that Charles like a lot of people, treated Martha as if she were a crazy women. She didn't think of herself as crazy, but even of she were a little nuts at times, she thought she had the right to be with a husband like Charles Logan. She took a deep breath and signed on the line. "Okay it's done." Aaron showed the lawyer out and rejoined Martha in the living room.

"What are you thinking?" he asked her encouragingly.

"I'm thinking of how releaved I am," she said staring at the white carpet.

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's finally all over." Aaron sat down next to her on the couch and gave her a hug. "Thanks, I needed that."

"I thought so," he tried giving her a smile hoping to recieve one back, he loved it when Martha smiled. It was a different side of her, it kind of proved to everyone that maybe she's not crazy like you think. Aaron knew from the first time he had met Martha that she wasn't crazy, he also knew that she shouldn't be underestimated. That was the mistake that most people made, that was the biggest mistake that Charles Logan had made when it came to his now ex-wife. Aaron then gave Martha a kiss. "Thank you for still being you." She finally smiled back.

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Bill and Karen walked into CTU together, they were extremely early but still having the same conversation they were having when Bill picked Karen up at her house. Karen's car had been stolen and no one could find it. But she didn't really care much because Bill drove her to work everyday for about 4 days now. They had been discussing which president had been better, Washington or Lincoln. Bill argued that it was Lincoln because he stopped most of the disgrimination against African Americans and Karen argued that it was Washington because he set the foundation of how a president was supposed to act. Everyday they had had some pointless conversation, and everyday it died off as soon as they got to the locker room. Bill put his coat in his locker and told Karen he would see her later.Audrey arrived and walked into the room as Karen was putting her coat up.

"Any luck with finding your car yet?" Audrey asked Karen.

"No not yet," Karen replied. By now Audrey and Karen had sort of became friends, they had been working together a lot, since they were both sent to CTU from other agencys.

"How are you getting here then? I can't remember?" Audrey asked shutting her locker at the same time as Karen.

"Bill's driving me," she said.

"Has he striked up any interesting conversations, like which president is the best?"

"Yeah, that was todays, why did he do that to you?" Karen asked.

"Yep, after work once, me, him, and Chloe were getting coffee and he started that."

"How'd it end?"

"Well Bill just never gives up on Lincoln," Audrey stated. Karen laughed.

"Yeah, I know." She and Audrey headed out to their stations. They didn't have much to do but new protocols they didn't have time for the day before. Chloe called in sick. Morris arrived a couple hours later.

"So what's wrong with Chloe?" Audrey asked him, while at the same time sending something to Division.

"I think she caught the flu," he informed her.

"That sucks, we can always use her help here," Karen stated.

"Yeah, I know. We could fail without Chloe here what ever will we do?" Audrey asked sarcastically.

"We'll have to find some way to manage," Karen added. Hours later they got a call that there was some sort of crisis at the at Broadway Mall. Everyone immedently got to work on it and Bill, Audrey, Morris, and Karen along with Curtis met in the situation room. The whole event took about four hours, and if you asked anyone, being in the situation room for that long was tiring. It was only 5:30 when the crisis was over but Bill told everyone they could go home as soon as their logs were completed, with that everyone worked super fast and got out quickly. As usual however Audrey, Bill, and Karen were the last ones to leave. Karen was talking to Bill in his office with lack of anything else to do since she had to leave when he did. Audrey needed to get something sighed by Bill so she took the long walk up to his office. Her feet were killing her and she couldn't wait to get home and take a nice hot shower. She entered his office were he and Karen were sharing a laugh.

"Hey Audrey, what can I do for ya?" Bill asked. He was more relaxed than Audrey had every seen him. She was surprised and she knew it showed in her face so she quickly handed him the file.

"I need you to sign this about the resolution of the Broadway Mall crisis, DOD wants it tonight," she told him. Bill picked up his pen and signed. "Thanks." She was trying to walk quickly out of the room and not letting it be noticed. She couldn't help but think, had she walked in on something.

"Oh, and Audrey?" Bill stopped her.

"Yes?"

"Don't looked so surprised," Bill blurted. Karen didn't have any clue as to what he was talking about, because she had not seen Audrey's reaction to Bill chiper mood.

"Okay," she walked down the stairs again and left CTU. So she had walked in on something. She had noticed a while ago that Bill's mood was different when Karen was around, she just hadn't put it all together.

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"Chloe, I'm back are you alright?" Morris called out after locking the front door. He walked into the living room. Chloe was still there on the couch.

"I still feel like throwing up, again," she stated to him. He rested his hand on her back.

"You're hot," he said.

"I know, my tempature is like 100 now," she replied.

"Who said I ment your body tempature?" Morris smurked. With all the energy Chloe could muster she threw a pillow in Morris's face. "I love you too, love."


	14. Chapter 14

**Here is another chapter, I don't know how much will be posting this week, for I will be so busy that it hurts to think about everything! Any spare time I have I will be writing because I enjoy it a lot. The only thing is I just found the rough draft of my novel and since it was deleted off my computer, I would like to work on re-typing and revising that! So do enjoy this please! **

**And to WickedJelly if you even read this, I read you advice, and no I don't have a spell checker, you have no idea how much I wish I did! Anyway, I forgot to mention that the only reason I have posted so much is because I am on spring break and since my family never has a vacation, I have a lack of things to do! Well I checked this one, maybe it won't be as bad! **

(Same Day)

The phone was ringing, Audrey quickly unlocked the bathroom door with her robe around her. She picked up the phone.

"Hello, how's it going honey?" Heller asked his daughter. They hadn't spoke in a week, because with this new president, there came new challenges.

"Oh, hi dad. I thought it'd be D.O.D. calling me, they won't leave me alone," she said to him.

"Well, I was just calling to see if you were okay, I heard about the Broadway Mall crisis," he said.

"I'm fine, we stopped the attack," Audrey informed him.

"I know, I heard."

"Anything else you want to know?"

"Well, Audrey, how are you handling everything else?" Heller asked with caution.

"I'm doing okay Dad. I got people to talk to over here, Chloe, Morris, Bill, and Karen have been a great help," she added.

"That's good to here, then I won't have them killed," he joked.

"Very good to hear," Audrey laughed. Heller was glad to hear her laugh, this meant that maybe she was okay, and not just saying she was.

"Okay, I'll let you go now," he told her. "Remember you can call anytime."

"I know Dad, I'll talk to you later," she said.

"Okay, I love you," he threw in.

"I love you too, bye." They both hung up. Audrey sat down on her bed and turned on the TV. After making sure the TV wasn't set to news, because she was sure there would be many reports on the Broadway Mall situation, and she didn't think she could take much more on it, she relaxed and laid down. She fell asleep half way through the Wizard Of Oz. She had a horrible dream however. She dreamed of Jack in a Chinese prison, all she could see was his face, and he looked so lost. When she awoke from the dream, she knew what she needed to do. Audrey had to find some way to get Jack out. No matter what it took.

24

"Are you done yet?" Karen asked Bill. She was borded out of her mind, it was almost 8 O'Clock and they were still in his office.

"Almost, just give me one second," he said.

"You said that like a million seconds ago," Karen informed him.

"Okay, that's the last of it, or at least I think. I'll just tell them it wasn't my fault I had a crazy person sitting by me," he said.

"Where?" Karen joked.

"I guess she left," Bill returned. He then logged out of the CTU database and got up. "Okay, let's go." They went to the locker room to grab their things, then went to Bill's car.

"What did you mean when you told Audrey not to look so surprised?" asked Karen, a little out of the blue.

"I don't know, her face looked surprised, so how about that Broadway Mall crisis huh?" Bill was trying to change the subject, but Karen caught him.

"Nice try, I think you know why she looked surprised," Karen stated. Bill sighed, knowing he was trapped.

"Okay I do," he admitted.

"So why was she?"

"Just because I said I know, doesn't mean I'm going to tell you," Bill said smugly. They sat in silence until they got to Karen's house.

"Do you want to come in? I think maybe you could use some coffee," Karen suggested.

Bill had never been in Karen's house, which had just struck him. Karen had been in his house many times in the past month, but he hadn't been in hers. "Okay," he said and they both got out of the car. Karen invited him into the kitchen where she began to make a pot of coffee. "Your house is nice," Bill stated, he thought he sounded stupid, nice? What the heck, was that all he could come up with? That's when he realized that he was nervous, he had no idea why though.

"Thanks," she said. She finished making the coffee and sat down next to Bill at the kitchen table. "So are you really not going to tell me why you told Audrey not to look so surprised?"

"Okay, we're back to that conversation," Bill let out another deep sigh, and repositioned himself so he was facing Karen. "Well, I think she looked surprised by my mood."

"What was so strange about your mood?" Karen inquired, a little stumped.

"People at CTU don't see me happy much," Bill told Karen.

"Well, CTU isn't usually a happy place."

"True, but I mean I'm not all chiper usually, or I guess never."

Now Karen was really confused. "What are talking about, I always see you happy."

"That's the point," Bill said, now he had come to the conclusion that because of his earlier comment he was going to have to tell Karen the truth about how he felt. "To be honest Karen, before you came I wasn't happy much, and I think that's what Audrey noticed."

Karen was taken back by this, "What exactly does that mean?" she requested.

"I think I'm trying to say, I'm kind of falling in love with you." He was now looking her strait in the eye. The coffee pot dinged, which startled them both. Karen walked over and poured two cups. After handing one to Bill, she sat down again.

"Wow, I need to say something now," Karen informed him. She took a quick drink of coffee and started talking again. "Ever since we had dinner after I came back from Washington, I've felt the same way."

"So you've felt this way for two weeks and didn't say anything?" Bill asked. Karen nodded. "Well, I wish you would have, because then maybe I wouldn't have felt so nervous, that's about the time I started to fall in love with you also." Bill let out a sigh of relief, as did Karen. That's where they both burst out laughing.

"We're pretty pathetic aren't we?" Karen asked with a big smile.

"Yeah, we are," Bill responded.


	15. Chapter 15

**Sorry for the wait, it took me forever to figure out how to get around the not being able to upload documents! But please enjoy this chapter! WASL this week (Washington Assesment of Student Learning) so little updates but I don't know how many! **

"So you won't be coming into work today?" Bill asked, he was in his office on the phone with Audrey.

"No, I think I'm going to call the doctor," Audrey hated lieing to Bill, but she needed to.

"Okay, hope you feel better. I'll talk to you later then, bye," Bill and Audrey both hung up. Audrey grabbed her purse and headed out the door. She had a ticket to DC and back. Once in her car she took out her cellphone and called an old friend that now worked as a tech for D.O.D. "Hi, how are you Claire?"

On the other end Claire was silent. She, like everyone at the department of defense had been informed of what had happened to the love of Audrey's life, Jack Bauer. She felt uncomfortable. "Hi, Audrey," she said uneasily.

Audrey could tell Claire was nervous, "it's okay Claire." Claire calmed down a little.

"Well, I'm good," Claire said, stopping herself from asking a totally ridiculous question like how are you?

"I was calling to see if you could help me a little," Audrey stated not giving too much away at first.

"With what?" was Claire's obvious response.

"I'm coming to Washington, and I'm going to be at D.O.D. probably in the archives room, so I was wondering if you could help me."

"Again, with what?"

"Making sure my father doesn't know I'm there?" Audrey said.

"Why?"

"Because he doesn't need to know. So are you in or not Claire?" she asked. Claire became nervous again. She wanted to help Audrey because they were friends and she knew Audrey wouldn't ask anything from her unless it were important. But at the same time she didn't want to lie to the secretary of defense.

"Okay, I'll help," Claire said finally.

"Good," I'll see you tonight," Audrey hung up before Claire could say anything else. Audrey got through sercurity quickly and was on her plane. She knew she could get to DC faster by getting a private jet, but that would involve calling her father, and she obviously couldn't do that. She sat back and tried to relax, but like most of the time these days her mind wouldn't stop pondering one thought... Jack.

24

"So do you think Audrey is actually sick?" Chloe asked Karen. They were working together again on protocols for Division.

"Why would she lie about that?" asked Karen.

"I don't know," Chloe stated. Karen turned away from the computer and looked Chloe.

"Do you know something?" she asked her.

"No," she said looking at the computer. Karen continued to stare and Chloe. She could tell she was lieing.

"Are you sure about that?" questioned Karen.

"Yes," Chloe lied again.

"Come on Chloe, you can tell me the truth. What do you not trust me by now?" she inquired.

"No, that's not why I can't tell you."

"Then why not?" Karen was a little puzzled because she thought Chloe was going to say yes.

"Because, Mr. Buchanan can't find out, and me and Morris have come to sort of a conclusion." Chloe was staring directly at the computer pretending to be entirely focused on her work, but really she was focused on the hope that Karen wouldn't ask her any other questions for two reasons.

"What conclusion?" This was the question Chloe was really hoping Karen wouldn't ask. She had figured out that again, as usual she had blurted out something without thinking it through. She had always done this, when she was a little girl her mother was having the new neighbors over for dinner and she had went all out. In the middle of the dinner she had told the woman that her dress looked like it had baby dung on it. The woman's husband looked extremely mad, but because Chloe was only nine at the time her held his tounge. Chloe had got a long lecture on thinking before you say something and was grounded for a week. Anyway, Chloe knew she would now have to face her punishment, like she had before. But instead of being grounded she was about to have a uncomfortable conversation with someone who had become a friend.

"That something is going on between you and Mr. Buchanan." Chloe again looked and the computer screen. Karen looked embaressed, she didn't know that her and Bill's feelings were so obvious.

"Oh."

"So is there?" Chloe asked without thinking again. If Karen wasn't sitting there, she would have slapped herself.

Karen thought of what to say (unlike Chloe), "yes, a little."

This time the conversation was taking a bit of a turn, so Chloe thought it could continue, "what's a little?"

"Um," Karen thought again, "we've kind of expressed that we like each other."

"Like?"

"Okay fine, love," Karen admitted. Chloe laughed a little. This put Karen at ease and she began to laugh with Chloe. Then she decided this would be a great time to get back to the originial conversation. "So now that I've told you something that only one other person knows, would please tell me what's going on with Audrey?"

"Fine, do you promise not to tell Mr. Buchanan?"

"I promise I won't tell Bill anything you tell me here," Karen promised.

"Okay, well Audrey's on her way to DC to help get Jack out her own way."

"We've all been through this, there's no way to get Jack out."

"I know, but that's why Audrey's going to Washington, to find a way."


	16. Chapter 16

**Well, WASL! So I'll give you this little to go on for right now! Please enjoy! And wish me luck!!reviews, oh how I love them please!**

Audrey got through the airport sercurity in Washington easily. Once she flagged a taxi she got on her cell phone to again call Claire.

"Hi, where are you now?" Claire asked, she had read Audrey's number off the caller ID.

"I'm coming to D.O.D. should be there in about fifteen minutes."

"Okay, see ya here. I'll meet you at the front, just call me," she said.

"Okay, bye," they hung up. Audrey was nervous, she didn't want her father to find out, but she had an bad feeling about the whole thing. She remembered that she needed to call Bill and tell him she would be off for a few days. She did so, until she finally reached the Department of Defense.

24

"I don't get it," Bill stated to Karen. They were having dinner at Bill's when he had got the call from Audrey.

"What?" Karen was a little confused.

"Well, how would Audrey have bronchitis?" he asked, because this is the lie Audrey had come up with. "I mean, she was fine yesterday, bronchitis takes days to accure."

"Maybe she wasn't fine," Karen added in. She didn't like this already. Immendently after Chloe had told Karen the truth she had realized how many times in his life, Bill had been kept out of the loop. She didn't see the harm that Chloe saw in telling Bill, but maybe that was just her, and she had promised.

"Karen, she was so healthy, I bet she could have ran a marathon," Bill said.

"I doubt that," she stated. Bill looked strait at Karen. Why was she defending this?

"Why are you so retoricol?"

"I'm not, you were the one who said you didn't understand, I'm just trying to help," Karen blurted out. She didn't want Bill knowing she was yet another person who had lied to him.

Bill eyed Karen a little while longer. She had turned her head away. "I don't think you're telling me everything."

"Well, I guess that's what you think," Karen stated in a fake smuggness, to cover how uneasy she felt. She got up and put her dishes in the dishwasher. Bill followed suit and then hit Karen with another question, he wasn't going to give up that easily.

"What aren't you telling me?" Bill asked.

He was doing it again, Karen couldn't stand it, when he did. He had the ability to look into anyones' eyes and find what they were hiding. She broke after moments of his gaze, "Audrey's not in L.A., she's in Washington D.C. at D.O.D. to try and track down Jack." Bill looked more cofused now, just as Karen had when Chloe had revealed this to her.

"Why? What does she think she's going to find?" asked a puzzled Bill.

"I don't know," admitted Karen. "Sorry I lied but, I promised Chloe I wouldn't say anything."

"That's okay." Bill swooped down and gave her a kiss.

**Next Chapter will be Audrey's trip in Washington and back! I'll update soon! hugs to all**


	17. Chapter 17

**Audrey's trip in Washington! Please R&R and enjoy!**

Audrey passed through D.O.D. security and spotted Clarie waiting for her.

"It's good to see you," Claire informed her truthfully.

"Thanks, it's good to see you as well," Audrey replied.

"I made sure your father doesn't get any chance to get word that you're here," Claire assured her.

"Thanks again, I'm going to the archive room," Audrey informed her. She took the elavtor to the archive floor. When she settled herself in the room she set to work. Searching every document with Jack Bauer in it. She had been there for hours when she finally decided to take a break. She called Claire and asked her if she wanted to get something to eat. Claire accepted the offer, so they went to a small restraunt where Audrey and Claire used to be regulars, Claire still was but Audrey hadn't been in forever.

"Audrey! It's good to see you again, how've ya been?" asked a waitress that Audrey used to know.

"I've been okay Deb, how about you?" Audrey was lying about being okay.

"I'm good, actually I just got married a month ago," explained Deb.

"Oh, that's great! I'm happy for you," Audrey exclaimed. Deb had been told of Audrey's current situation by Claire, but didn't know everything. She was the type of person that believes a tragety occurs everytime there is a frown on someone's face. She gave Claire and Audrey's order to the chef, then said she was taking her break.

"Is it okay if I sit with ya guys?" she asked Audrey and Claire.

"It's fine," Audrey answered. Deb sat down.

"So, what's been going on with you Audrey? I haven't seen you in forever," Deb stated. Audrey sat in silence for a moment. Deb noticed that Audrey had lost her glow, what made her her.

"I don't know, nothing I'd planned," she admitted.

"Probably not," Deb threw in.

"Well, sort of the complete opposite of what I was trying to plan and overcome," Audrey was opening up to her two old friends.

"What exactly happened?" Deb dared to ask what Claire had been too scared to in their recent reunion.

"The man I love most, who I had just found to be alive, went missing again. Friends of mine died in a nerve gas leak at CTU Los Angeles, and me and my father both almost died. I'd say my life is a little screwed up right now," Audrey added. They ate and talked and Audrey finally let everything out, that she couldn't hold in anymore. After they got back to D.O.D. Claire went back to her work and as did Audrey. She found a few interesting things about Jack, but nothing that jumped out at her. It was mid-afternoon when something finally came to her. She stumbled across the files of the when the Chinese consulite had been attacked be "unidentified" men. Audrey saw the picture of the agent that had been caught by a video camrea. The file, which was hidden ever so slightly, contained the fact that he had tried to be taken out of the country but failed. They had never seen the agent again. Audrey tried to hold herself together, the attack on the consulite had been to capture a terrorist. This terrorist had been hurt and that is when Paul, Audrey's husband had been killed. The file was all about Jack's "death" and other things resulting off that. Tony and Michelle had left CTU for good, Bill had taken postition as permanent director of CTU, and herself had gone dark for several months. Audrey had been so lonely, he dad tried to help, like he always did, but there was no one that could help her. She had been in a deep depression. Audrey copied the entire file and went to Claire's floor.

"Have you found anything?" Claire asked as Audrey approached her.

"Yes," Audrey stated, "the Chinese have been planning this for a while now."

"Is that all?"

"No, I just need to do a little more thinking." Audrey told Claire goodbye and gave her a hug. She then proceeded in heading out of the Department of Defense, on the lobby floor she spotted the one person she was trying to avoid. Secretary James Heller had just entered the building.Audrey turned had blended in behind a crowd of business people. She barely made out of the building. She grabbed a taxi and headed strait for the airport. She wanted to get back to L.A. as soon as she could, the feeling of lying so much to her kind hearted father made her sick to her stomach. She had to get out of Washington DC. She caught the plane to L.A. and the entire time, she studied the file she had with her. Hours of reading over and over the same file made her memorize about half of the details. This was going to take time, and that was the thing Audrey could not stand the most, the thing she hated over all the things in the world. Time.

**Thanx 4 reading!! **


	18. Chapter 18

**This is short, but I'm tired! Well It's my Birthday and since I idn't like what happened in the episode with Bill & Karen, I thought I'd throw something sweet at ya so ya have time to recover with me! Well, I also have some Martha & Aaron stuff since I haven't wrote about them in a while! Please Review as a present to me! **

**take5: please updat e your fic as a present to me, I need it right now! **

"That was Audrey, she said she's back and would like help tomorrow with what she found," Chloe told Karen after hanging the phone up.

"Did you tell her you told me?" Karen asked.

"Yeah, she said now that she's back it's not that much of a big deal," Chloe insisted.

"Good, I'd love to help you guys," Karen added. She wanted Jack out of China as well, he had saved thousands of lives and didn't deserve any of this.

"I'm sure we could use your help," Chloe exclaimed giving Karen a smile.

"So, are you going home?" she asked.

"Yeah, God I'm tired," Chloe said, letting out a yawn proving this statement.

"Me too. It's been a long day," Karen stated. Chloe got up and walked over to Morris, who was also finishing up for the day. Karen streched and sent the last of her files to both Division and Homeland. Then she headed up to Bill's office, where he like Morris was still finishing a few things. He looked up when the door opened. Although it had been over a month since they met, Bill's heart still jumped everytime Karen walked into a room, and Karen still got nervous.

"How long are you going to be?" she asked, frightened of the answer.

"I'm done," he said with one last click of his mouse.

"Really?"

"Yep, let's go," he said. Karen shook the surprised look off her face and followed Bill out of the building. "So, what do you want to do tonight?" Bill asked while driving his car.

"I don't know, what do you think?"

"I just started watching this new show called House, it's great," Bill suggested.

"You have time to watch a TV show every week?" she asked in amazement.

"No, that's why I bought the season," he said. So it was a plan, as soon as they got to Bill's house they got some snacks and watched Bill's new favorite show. They continued watching and watching until around 12pm they fell asleep. Karen woke up about an hour later. She was in Bill's arms, he was still asleep. She smiled and rested her head once again, against Bill. Karen thought, _this is defiantly get used too._ A few moments later she was asleep once more.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Martha loved Aaron. He was a great person for her to have around. Ecspecially at this time. Charles had been harassing Martha ever since she put her signature on the divorce papers.Aaron knew this was affecting her.

"Hey, are you alright? I know you hate being asked that but," he said, not needing to finish the last part.

"I don't think I am," admitted Martha. You would only ever hear Martha Logan, being the stuborn woman she is, admit this to Aaron.

"Is it Charles?" he asked.

Martha nodded, "why won't he leave me alone?" she asked.

"He still loves you," Aaron stated.

"Well, I don't love him!" she exclaimed.

"You don't have to," Aaron informed her.

"Good, because I love you," she stated boldly.

Aaron couldn't stop himself from smiling, "I love you too Martha."

"I just wish he'd leave me alone, that's all."

"I know. If he ever gives you a lot of trouble, just tell me. I'll take care of it, if you know what I mean!" Martha laughed, and Aaron joined in. He walked over and kissed her, then embracing her in a hug.


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey!!! sorry for the wait, WASL over so nothing in my way but Dance rehersals! Thanx 4 the reviews and welcome new readers! Just wanted to add I started a Bill&Karen forum for those who don't know, so far just me and take5. Enjoy the chapter and review please! I know it's short, sorry!**

"So what did you find?" Chloe asked Audrey. Audrey, Karen, and herself where sitting at Audrey's granite kitchen table. Audrey layed the contents of the copied file out on table.

"Jack's past, we have something on the Chinese government," Audrey stated. Karen and Chloe kept listening for more, but more wasn't said so Chloe asked the next question.

"What do we have?" she asked plainly.

"One of Jack's agents, the day he faked his death, was taken by the Chinese as well. Jack tried to get him out of the country because the Chinese consulet was killed in their atemps to capture a terrorist, they got the guy but a camera also captured a head shot of this agent," Audrey paused to take a breath and shifted the picture of the agent so it was in front of Chloe and Karen. "The agent was never heard of again, no confermation on him being relocated nothing."

"Well, this doesn't prove the Chinese were involved," Karen exclaimed.

"Right, which disappointed me until I saw this tucked at the end of the file," Audrey explained. She pulled out a picture that made both Chloe and Karen take a deep breath. The picture was taken by the camera on the roof that Cheng had taken the agent. The picture was an identifiable picture of Cheng himself and two other men grabbing hold of the American agent.

"Oh," Karen stated.

"Wow, this was in there the whole time?" inquired Chloe.

"Yes," answered Audrey.

"How come no one has used this before?" Karen asked Audrey a little confused.

"Because no one wanted to get their hands dirty with China," Audrey once again explained. Chloe and Karen now understood as they took in all the information Audrey had given them. "So what do guys think?"

"This dangerous," Karen stated the obvious, "but it's for Jack."

"Yeah, if anytime to use something like this, it would be to get Jack back. He's given everything for this country and government, I think it can afford to get a little dirty and return part of the favor," Chloe said. Without a word, Audrey and Karen nodded to Chloe in agreement.

"We can't tell anyone about this, something like this could hurt people. Until we deside exactly what we're going to do, let's just keep it between us," Audrey informed them. Easy for Audrey to say, Chloe and Karen however were going to have a harding time with this. One being Chloe and Morris had promised each other that their reformed relationship must not end in shamples like their marriage, and to do so they needed to keep an open and honest relationship and not lie, but this changed everything. Karen knew this was going to be hard because she had not yet kept a single thing from Bill, and everytime he asked her something no matter what it was she would answer with the most honesty she could muster. Karen also found that it was hard to lie to Bill, because not only did she feel guilty when she did so, but he could always tell when she was hiding the slightest thing. Karen and Chloe sat looking down for a moment having second thoughts when the picture of Jack that had been in the file caught their eye. At that point they knew what they needed to do, they'd have to lie in order to do the right thing.

"Okay, we promise," Karen spoke for both of them. Audrey sighed in relief, this was just the beginning.


	20. Chapter 20

**Sorry for another wait. Enjoy the chapter, its kind of late so I'll post another chapter where I left off on this one! Again check out the forum on my forums, labeled Bill&Karen! So far take5, SG1Bauer, and I! R&R please!**

Chloe got home from being at Audrey's. She noticed that Morris was there and immedently got nervous, how was she going to hide the lie in her voice. Audrey, Karen, and herself had cooked up a lie they would tell anyone that asked, that Audrey had found nothing that would help.

"Hey love, Audrey know anything?" asked Morris. Chloe had told him about Audrey going to DC after it was confirmed that Audrey was safely back in LA.

"Not really, she just found something we couldn't use," Chloe said, sticking to the three womens' plan.

"Why couldn't you use it, what was it?" Morris questioned. He wasn't being nosy, he was curious.

The three of them had not discussed this, Chloe had to think of something off the top of her head, "it was just a phone call between Logan, Palmer, and a chinese man named Cheng about the consulate being killed a couple years ago."

"Why would she think she could use that in the first place?"

"Because, I think he threated the presidents, and that seemed bad in a way," Chloe kept up the lie feeling dirtier and dirtier each step the lie progressed.

"Just not bad enough," stated Morris.

"Exactly," said Chloe holding her breath, Morris was staring at her in an awkward way. "What?"

"Nothing, I just think you're the most beautiful woman I have ever seen," he said, Chloe released her breath. _Thank God he believed it_, she thought. They kissed as they had done so many times before.

24

Karen was driving away from Audrey's house trying to get everything strait. While in very deep thought, he cellphone began to ring. She jumped, after regaining her breath, she picked up the phone. It was Bill, great just what she needed. "Hey," she started trying to seem cheerful.

"Hey, where are you?" he asked noticeing it sounded like she was driving.

"Just driving home," she said, this was about to be the closest Karen would come to the truth tonight when it came to talking to Bill.

"From where?" he asked.

"Homeland, I had to talk to Stewart about some of the recent filing upgrades," she lied. She gulped, hating herself.

"Oh," Bill exclaimed, "hey you should come over here."

Karen replied reluctently, "No, I think I better go home, kind of tired."

This caught Bill of guard, she didn't sound very tired, and since when had Karen said no to an offer concerning him. "Please, I'm so bored, and... I miss you." he stated sweetly.

"What are you talking about? I just saw you a few hours ago," reminded Karen.

"I know, but the only time I don't miss you is when were together," he again stated sweetly.

Karen smiled, but in a sad way. Since she only lied to protect something, and that was when it was someone she wasn't quite found of, like the situation concerning evidence against Logan. She couldn't bring herself to dismiss Bill, not after a comment like that.

"Karen?" Bill asked, there had been a long silence and Bill had thought he had said something wrong.

"Okay, I'll be there in about ten minutes. They hung up and she tried to plan everything out. What was she going to do? What she reallly needed to do right now what not have any sort of contact with Bill, to make it easier on herself, but she realized this would make it harder.


	21. Chapter 21

**OMG, OMG, I'm so sorry!! I didn't think it had been so long! Well here's another chapter, I'll write more often now the season is over, just to keep you all sane, am I right take5!;)**

Karen pulled into Bill's driveway, more nervous than ever before. What was she going to do? Her plan had been simple, she knew how hard of a time she was going to have lying to Bill, but she had wanted time to think everything over. Of course she loved Bill and wanted to be around him but how could she sit there and tell him anything other than the truth? She exited her car and walked of the dimly lit walkway to Bill's front door. Her hand had only softly knocked once when the door flew open. Bill pulled Karen inside.

"Hi," he said planting a kiss on her overwhelmed lips.

"Hi," she said faking a smile, the more happier Bill seemed to get, the more Karen began to feel sick.

The two were sitting on the couch drinking tea as they usually did, however tonight Bill was doing all the talking. After a while he noticed how destracted and quiet Karen was being and in the middle of talking about a show he had seen on TV he added, "and, I was thinking that'd move to China and marry some odd woman over there, heard the economy's great, what do you think Karen?"

Spacing out still Karen threw in, "yeah, that sounds nice."

"Karen, honey what is going on?" he asked. Karen finally snapped out of her trance and realized what Bill had just said.

"Nothing, although I find it very unpleasant that you will soon be leaving me for the country we both hate most at the moment and will be marring someone you don't even know." She managed a smirk at Bill. He found this satisfying and went back to what he had been saying. Karen again began spacing out.

"Karen! Seriously what is wrong with you? Did something happen at Audrey's? Did she find something?" Bill asked. Inside Karen had become terrified, however she maintained her stature.

"No, just an old picture of Cheng on American soil, however it didn't show anything else," Karen lied for the first time. Bill studied her for a moment and then finally once again went back to his earlier topic. Karen tried her best to pay attention. She spent the night at Bill's still nervous as any one person could be.

24

"Hey, want some coffee?" Bill asked Karen as she came downstairs ready for work.

"Yes please," she answered. After having coffee and a little breakfast they were off for CTU. They as always got there earlier than everyone else. Next to arrive after them was of course Morris and Chloe. After CTU was all present they began their daily tasks. Morris needed Bill to sign a form for Division. He walked upstairs to his office and after knocking entered the room. He handed the papers to Bill and stood. To make small talk he talked of something he was sure they had in common.

"Sucks that all Audrey found was that phonecall doesn't it?" Morris stated. Bill finished the last form when he looked up and removed is glasses.

"What?" he asked confused.

"I said it sucks that all Audrey found was that phonecall," Morris repeated confused as to Bill's confusion.

"Who said that?" Bill asked.

"Chloe," Morris informed him.

"Karen said that it was a picture not a phonecall," Bill told Morris. Now Morris looked just as sceptical as Bill. They looked at each other.

"Well, would you look at that. They're lying to us aren't they?" Morris exclaimed, he couldn't believe it, and after they had swore to tell each other the truth.

"I guess they are," Bill added, he niether could believe Karen had lied, and just as Morris he wanted to know why?

Bill and Morris thought up something and thought it up quick.


	22. Chapter 22

**Well, another short little chapter! I want to add a little more Martha/Aaron, but the need to write them has gone down since I was waiting for information and guidence from the show, but they weren't seen again! ahh! MA come back! hehe Well try to enjoy the chapter and reviews are my friend!! **

It was closing time for CTU, which ment the time that the last of the CTU workers left. These always last workers included Bill, Karen, Chloe, Morris, and Audrey. Today however, Audrey had left early to work on her current obsession, dare I need go on as to what it was. Bill walked downstairs ready to leave, he and Morris quickly glanced at each other as if to say the plans a go. Karen and Chloe returned from the locker room where they hd gathered their things.

"Hey you guys want to have dinner tonight?" Bill asked as planned.

Morris to seem more reallistc gave this a few moments, then added, "where?"

"At my house, we could get some Chinese," Bill suggested. Chloe and Karen were a little fearful of this comment.

So Chloe exclaimed, "I'm not in the mood fr Chinese, and probably never will be."

"Then how about just pizza?" Morris suggested.

"That'll work," Bill stated. Karen and Chloe had no chose to comply. After getting to Bill's house, they sat at his kitchen table where he and Karen usually ate dinner alone, but tonight there was an agenda. As an usual routine, Bill made coffee for the four of them and they sat down to talk after the coffee was handed out and a pizza ordered.

"So how was today?" Bill started making small talk.

"Fine," Chloe and Karen answered almost in unison.

"I had a good day too," Morris added. Bill wished Morris would tone the excited reactions down a little.

"Mine was fine as well," Bill said causally.

"That's good to hear," Karen said to keep such a light and reality free conversation going.

"Very good," Chloe followed suit.

"Extremely good!" added Morris. At this point Karen and Chloe caught on that something was up.

Karen was first, "anything _really _exciting happen to the too of you today?" she asked addressing Bill and Morris.

"Not much," Bill said taking a drink of coffee.

"Yeah not really," Morris had finally gotten the hint that he was being over the top. Karen stared Bill down for a moment.

"You're lying," she stated.

"Pardon me?" he asked playing dumb.

"Something happended today, and you and Morris are pretending it didn't," she explained. Bill knew the coffee drinking had done it. When ever he was uncomfortable in a conversation he would go strait for the drink, something Karen had no doubt picked up.

"Hun, you are seriously paranoid, now I kind of wonder what about?" Bill said whipping the guilt topic onto her. Morris again followed Bill's direction.

"You seem a little antsy as well Chlo, what's on you're mind?" Morris asked. They were trapped, and they knew it.

"What are you guys even talking about?" Karen asked in a condescending way at a last desprite attempt to leave this subject.

"Oh come on Karen, just give up," Bill said standing his ground. They stared at each other, Morris was almost sorry he had agreed to find out Karen and Chloe's lie at this point for, the stares were so different than how this couple usually stared at each other. Niether him nor Chloe made any moments 'til at last Bill spoke.

"So?" he moved Karen on once more.

"So what?" she asked in the sharpest tone ever.

"Why have you been lying to me?" he said, plainly coming out with it. Since Morris was too scared to say anything to Chloe he continued to sit in silence, his and Chloe's agrument would just have to come later.

"Chloe, Morris, would you excuse me and Bill for a moment please?" she stated. Without waiting for any other words, Karen took Bill upstairs where they could speak in private.


	23. Chapter 23

**Here's the next chapter enjoy! I'll updat****e soon! And hi new reader, hope you read this! There's a lot more than usual guys, but that's because I couldn't stop writing, I was on a role! lol Well I was about to keep going but it's like 12:15 and I have to wake up early! bye **

Chloe and Morris could hear the shouting from downstairs, still not making any noise they stared at each other, and they had thought their fights were bad.

Upstairs, "You think I want to lie to you?" Karen asked Bill.

"No, but you don't _have _to either!" Bill spat back at her.

"Yes I do!" she was furious at him for not understanding, the fact was Bill wasn't able to understand because at the moment he knew absolutely nothing.

"Why? What could you, Audrey, and Chloe possibly have to hide?" he asked her.

"She found something about Jack," Karen was being vage, trying to give Bill just enough information, but still uphold her promise to Audrey. The problem however, was that Bill could see this.

"What about Jack?" he asked. Karen shook her head.

"I can't tell you!" she insisted, but he wouldn't hear it.

"Yes you can," he said. He simply didn't understand, which seemed to be the major problem.

"No, I can't!" Karen repeated once more. Bill let out sigh.

"Can you just tell me why you can't?" Bill asked thinking that if he made it further than the orginal subject maybe he'd get something out of her.

"Because it could hurt you," Karen exclaimed, now on the verge of crying. Bill still acted angry toward her.

"I don't care, " he kept pushing. A tear fell down Karen's face.

"I do! You have no idea how much I love you, and I'm not taking any chances, because you are the most important thing in my life Bill!" she blurted to him. Bill stood in silence. When he said nothing Karen walked out and back downstairs. She grabbed her purse and coat from the coat hanger near the door and left. Chloe and Morris were stunned. Suddenly, Morris had no desire to argue with Chloe about anything.

"We should go," Morris suggested.

"Yeah," Chloe said. They left leaving Bill alone in his home. In the car Chloe and Morris had a discussion, not an argument, but a discussion.

"So are you going to tell me about what Audrey actually found?" asked Morris who was driving.

"I don't think I should," Chloe admitted, "I didn't want to lie to you, I'm so sorry I lied. I just think it's best if for the time being, you don't know the details." Morris thought for a moment.

"Okay," he agreed, "but when the time is right I would like it if you told me."

"Deal," Chloe said, grateful he accepted this.

"I hope Bill and Karen are all right," Morris said.

"Me too, I think Karen was crying," Chloe added.

"She was, we didn't hear the end, I wonder what they said?" Morris stated.

"I know," Chloe agreed. The two finally made it home and easily fell asleep, they were finally completely honest with each other, well on some level.

24

Meanwhile, since the time Karen had walked out of his bedroom, Bill had sat down on his bed. He couldn't believe it. All the time he'd been with Karen, he thought of what he would say or do to anymore who hurt or made Karen cry. Now, it had been himself that had done this, how could he? Bill dressed for bed, but didn't get any sleep at all.

Karen on the other hand, got about 2 hours sleep, sleep that came in one of the most unpleasent of ways. She had cried herself to sleep, she couldn't believe what she had told to Bill, she hadn't planned on telling anyone those things, but they had just slipped out. And, how could he have acted that way? Why did he not understand that he could get hurt, and if Bill were to be hurt she wouldn't know what to do.

24

The next day CTU was a strange place for Bill and Karen, along with Chloe and Morris. Bill and Karen didn't speak a word to each other. Usually, the two entered CTU together chatting happily. Today however, Bill had came to CTU first because he hadn't sleep at all, therefore he couldn't stand being in bed any longer. Karen came in a little after Chloe, Morris, and Audrey, but she was way different than herself. She acted unorginized in a way, which was not like Karen at all, because if anyone were to describe Karen, orginized and prepared would be a couple of the first words out of their mouth. By the end of the day Chloe was very worried for her friend, as usual everyone had left except for the five people always to leave last.

"Karen? Are you okay?" Chloe asked knowing this was a stupid question, but she didn't know how else to start the conversation. They were in the bathroom and they had both finished washing their hands.

"No," Karen said, in the saddest voice Chloe had ever heard come from Karen Hayes.

"Anything I can do?" Chloe asked. She was not being her trademarked self at the moment, she knew she was bad at cheering people up, but Karen needed someone so badly right now. The truth was, Chloe and Karen were like each others best friends.

"No, I'll be fine," Karen informed her before walking out. Chole stood, not sure of what to do next, she needed to talk to Bill.


	24. Chapter 24

**Here's another chapter! Enjoy, forgot to say Happy Memorial Day all! Well enjoy and look I hit a landmark, chapter "24" hehe! Review please!**

Bill was half doing his work and half spaced out with his current personal issues. Right about the time where he were to shut down and send all reports and protocols, then to leave with Karen, Chloe knocked on his door. He waved for here to come in while sending a message to Dracus at Division.

"Bill, could I talk to you?" Chloe asked. Bill thought it strange she was calling him by his first name, usually it was strickly _Mr.Buchanan_, Bill didn't know if this was a good sign or not.

"Sure," he answered, "have a seat." He motioned her to have a seat in the chair oppisite his own.

"Thank you," she said. Sitting down, Chloe got prepared for what she was going to say, but before a word could leave her mouth Bill spoke.

"I'm guessing this is about last night," he stated.

"Sort of, well I guess since that's the sorce of everything," Chloe answered him.

"I see."

"Well, you know Karen and I are friends," she started," and today I noticed that she wasn't well, Karen."

Bill shifted in his seat. "It really isn't any of my business, but what happened last night?"

"A lot," Bill said. Chloe gave him a second, then he started to speak. "I was too hard on Karen." Bill put his head down on his desk. Now what was Chloe to do, if she wasn't good at helping her friends like Audrey and Karen, how was she supposed to help her boss.

"Well, it must of come as a shock to you, Karen lying to you," Chloe stated, "she's never lied to you before, or at least not that you for sure know of." Chloe knew the moment after she had finished her sentence, that it had been a bad thing to say. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that," she ensisted.

"It's okay Chloe, you don't have to try and make me feel better," he said looking up. Just as Chloe had noticed with Karen, there seemed to be a strange tone to Bill's voice, the kind that would make even a varsity cheerleader captain become gloomy.

"Why was Karen crying though?" Chloe asked, still not understanding what actually happened.

"We were arguing as I'm sure you and Morris heard, and I finally after she insisted on not telling me what the truth was, she told me why she had lied. She said to protect me, I didn't understand and I told her I didn't care about being protected, that's where I had already pushed her too far, she said she did care, she said I didn't know how much she loved me and that I was the most important part of her life," Bill informed Chloe.

Chloe gave a sad look, she couldn't believe Karen had told him that, "are, you are the most important part of her life and she does love you more than anyone will ever know," Chloe added.

"Who knows now," Bill stated, "even I couldn't love me after last night, and I easily get along with people including myself."

"She still does, I don't think that will ever change, well now of course," Chloe said.

"What do you me now?" he asked, finding the end of Chloe's sentence odd.

"Well, a couple months ago when you guys met, you kind of hated each other," Chloe said.

"We did not, we just didn't always see eye to eye," Bill explained.

"Call it what you want, but that's how I saw it," she stated.

Bill smiled for the first time all day, "not helping Ms. O'Brian," he said in a joking tone.

"Sorry again, you know how bad I am at this, you said it yourself."

"Well, today you've done an okay job, thanks Chloe," he said. Chloe finally stood up and walked to the door.

"Just remember not to let Karen wait too long," she said and walked out. Morris had been waiting for her.

"How'd it go?" he asked giving her her coat.

"It went okay," she told him. "Hey, where'd Karen go?"

"She left a few minutes ago," Morris informed her.

"Okay," she said and they went home.

Now Bill and a stray remanded field agent were left in CTU. Bill was still sitting at his desk wondering what he was going to do. Then it struck him, what he needed to do. What he wanted to do.

**Oh look a cliffhanger, guess you'll have to read the next chapter huh? hehe Well at least I don't end an entire story on a cliffhanger unlike some people! coughs take5! jk girl:)**


	25. Chapter 25

**Ha! Well here's a little cliffhanger resolution! Enjoy! **

Audrey was at home on the phone with her father.

"Hi honey, how'd today go?" he asked.

"It was okay, kind of quiet around CTU, no one talked much," Audrey informed him.

"Any clue as to why?" he wondered.

"No," she answered honestly, no one had filled Audrey in on the horrible mishaps that had been a result of her and her friends cover-up.

"Well, as long as you're safe," he stated.

"I am Dad, where else can I be that would be any safer?" she asked.

"Here?" he suggested.

"Nice try, but I'm sticking with Los Angeles and CTU for the moment," she said.

"Okay, I knew you'd saw that," he told her.

"Well I have to go, got to get to work, talk to you tomorrow sweetheart," he said to his daughter waiting for a reply.

"Okay Dad, talk to you tomorrow," she said back.

"Love you," he added.

"I love you too," she said and the lines at the same moment went dead. Audrey went back to her couch where there was complete silence it felt horrible to her, she walked over to her stereo and put in her favorite CD. It was of course The Beatles, for it had also been Jack's favorite CD, she remembered them listening to it, those were of course the days before there had been any problems at all. She sat back on the couch, still going over Jack's file, she found it very easy to work with her heart set on again one day listening to this very CD with her one true love, Jack Bauer.

24

Karen was sitting at her own couch still crying. _What a horrible day, _she thought to herself. Suddenly the doorbell rang. Karen stood up slowly and wiped her tears away, she checked in the mirror to see if you could tell she had been crying, since she had no idea who was at the door. She finally worked up the courage to open her door and to her shock she found Bill himself at the door. He was just standing there looking very agatated. Karen, just as he stood without saying a word.

Finally he spoke, "I need to say something." Karen not knowing what to say herself, let him in. She shut the door. "I have to start by saying, Karen I'm so so sorry, more sorry than you know. And Karen what you said to me, about I being the most important thing in your life, I feel the exact same way about you, and I love you so much," Karen just noded her head. She had no doubt been hurt by Bill's actions so he though it should just be said, "Karen will you marry me?" he asked.

Karen was shocked even more than the fact that Bill was there. She had to sit down, despite everything that had happened in the past 24 hours, Karen loved being with Bill, no matter what it was they were doing. She looked at the floor of her living room. Bill stood in silence not making any movement that may interfere with Karen's thoughts.

It had been so long since a word had been uttered, Bill felt the need to speak, "Karen?"

"Yes," she muttered quietly with her head still down.

"What?" he asked not completely sure of what she had said.

"Yes Bill, I'll marry you," she told him so he could hear.

"Really?" he asked a huge grin spliting across his face. Karen loved when Bill smiled, it happened so rarely when they had first met at CTU, the first time she had seen this grin was when she had asked him for a raincheck on breakfast, she thought he looked so adorable with that grin.

"No, I'm screwing with you," she smiled,"yes Bill, of course I'm telling the truth, I wouldn't want anything more than to marry you." Bill walked even closer to his now wife-to-be and embraced her. Karen had stood up and they then were involved in the deepest kiss they had ever shared.

"I love you," she told him. He just kissed her once again.

"I love you more," he said and the two stood in Karen's livingroom in the longest embrace ever.

**HAHA!! Hows that for ya? I know, some of ya may not have liked the proposol, but being me I always thought a spontanious proposol was most romantic, because how much would someone have to love you to be thinking hey I'll ask them to marry me! Sure I've never had a boyfriend or been kissed or anything like that, but I'm an extreme romantic! And hey don't try judging me, I only just turned 14 for God's sake! hehe LOL Well hope ya liked, and review!! **


	26. Chapter 26

**Here's another chapter! Hope ya enjoy guys! Reviews rock, just remember that! **

Audrey was on the phone with Chloe, who had informed her what had really been going on today.

"That's so sad, I never meant for this when I had the two of you help me," she informed Chloe.

"Yeah, I know, you know it's not your fault," Chloe assured Audrey.

"I guess," she replied.

"Well, I'm going to go, I'll talk to you tomorrow," Chloe said.

"Okay, talk to you then, bye," Audrey said and they hung up. Audrey went about what she had already been up to. It was now nearing eleven, but she didn't care for she didn't sleep much. She had spent this night and the night before it on the phone with different departments in DC, where they were growing quite annoyed with the Secertary of State's daughter who kept calling at DC's hour of about five in the morning and earlier. She didn't have a care at all though, for she was the most determined woman you'd ever meet at this point. So far nobody had given her exactly what she had wanted. She went to bed around one-thirty in the morning.

The next morning Chloe and Morris walked in to CTU, where they found two techs, and no sign of Bill or Karen. There was a memo on Chloe's desk stating her and the other department heads were in charge of CTU for the day. She asked the secertary who was in charge of keeping track of employees why Bill and Karen weren't there, and she said they had both called in sick. Most likely one of the very few sick days that Bill Buchanan and Karen Hayes had ever taken in their entire careers. She was soon however, destracted by the difficult task of helping run CTU, she didn't know how Bill did it. Audrey had shown up around two hours late and wanted to tell Chloe something, but she wasn't at her station. She soon found her in the situation room with her laptop.

"Why are you in here, and where's Bill?" Audrey questioned Chloe.

"The other department and I heads are incharge for the day, Bill and Karen have called in sick," Chloe explained, slightly annoyed with the interuption.

"Sick?" she inquired.

"Yeah," Chloe stated in the same tone as Audrey, in an "As if!" sort of way.

"Whatever," Audrey said, sort of waving it off. "Anyway, I wanted to tell you, that I'm coming out with the Chinese information. I'm going to tell my father, and then everyone else can know," Audrey said.

""You're telling Secertary Heller?" Chloe asked in astonishment.

"Yeah, why?" Audrey was confused by Chloe's confusion.

"Well, then won't he know you were in Washington?" Chloe informed her.

"Yes, but if we want this all done right I'm going to have to face that," she said, "I'll tell him everything I've done."

"Okay then, when?"

"Well, he's coming to L.A. in two days, we're going to have dinner so I'll ask him to come to my house, and that's where I'll tell him everything," she said.

"Good, I'm glad you have a plan."

"Okay, after I tell him, I'll call you, unless it's really late then I'll just tell you here."

"Sounds good, now I need to get to work," Chloe said and shunned Audrey out of the room, so she could focus. Audrey went back to her station where she tried focusing on her work herself. Finally the end of the day came, and Morris found himself waiting impatiently for Chloe.

"Come on love, it's almost nine-thirty," he informed her.

"I know, I know," she replied, furiously typing away at her laptop. She finally finished several mintues later and shut the lid to her laptop. "Okay, I'm done."

"Thank God," he said and headed for the locker room. Chloe reached for her laptop when her cell phone buzzed. She had recieved a text message from.. Bill? She clicked to read it and it stated, "I asked Karen to marry me, and she said yes, see you tomorrow! -Mr. Buchanan." Chloe couldn't believe it, what a day!


	27. Chapter 27

**Here's half of my monster chapter! Enjoy, I'll be leaving out of internet range this saturday until Friday so stay tuned! **

Audrey hurried to get out of the shower, she put on some simple make-up including brown eye shadow, blush, and lip gloss. Next she slipped into her black knee-length dress. After blow drying her hair she was done, she walked over to the phone to see if there were any calls while she was in the shower. There were two, one from Chloe and one from Karen. She first called Chloe back.

"Audrey, good you called back," she said, by her tone Audrey knew she had been doing nothing other than waiting for her call.

"Yeah, what's this about?" she inquired.

"Is your father there yet?"

"Not yet, he should be here in about an hour," she said. "Why?"

"I just wanted to know what it was exactly that you were going to say to him," answered Chloe.

"Well, he'll want to come to my house after, because he's always trying to shrink me these days," stated Audrey rolling her eyes at the thought, "that's when I'll tell him everything, about the Chinese and everything else related."

Chloe pondered for a moment, while there was silence on her end of the phone, "Chloe?" asked Audrey thinking she'd hung up.

"I'm still here," she said, "and I guess that sounds good, just call me after everything unfolds."

"I'll try, but I don't know how everything will go."

"True, just try okay," agreed Chloe. "Oh and Karen's trying to get ahold of you too."

"I know, she called after you, I'll call her as soon as we hang up," Audrey replied.

"Okay we better go then, bye and good luck," Chloe said.

"Thanks, bye," she said as they both proceeded to hang up the phone. Next she dialed Karen's cellphone number.

"Karen, it's me," she told her.

"Audrey, good you called back," Karen said, "I'm sure Chloe already asked you, but were you going to say to Heller."

Audrey rolled her eyes a little, "just everything I've found, all that you guys helped me find."

"Okay," said Karen. Then there was a moment of silence, Audrey said something.

"Karen, is there something else?" she asked her.

"Audrey, what happens if things don't go as planned?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what happens if your father can't do as much as you thing?"

"Well Karen, I don't exspect everything to go as planned," she told Karen, in an obvious tone.

"I mean what if the entire thing goes wrong, like the basic concept of everything you're trying to achive?"

Audrey still wasn't understanding, "Karen, I don't get what you're trying to say!"

Karen sighed and finally just straight up told Audrey what she was trying to say, "What happens if your father refuses?"

"He won't," Audrey said very sure of herself.

Karen sighed again.

"And what's with all the sighing?" Audrey said annoyed.

"Audrey, I just don't want you to be entire dependent on the help of your father," said Karen.

Audrey drew frown on her face, "Karen what are you saying? Are you telling me to give up?"

"No, not at all, I would never tell you that!" insisted Karen, "I just want you to have some sort of plan B Audrey."

"Why?"

"Audrey, we are somewhat friends right?"

"Yes, why?" Audrey was once again confused.

"As your friend, I just want you to be prepared for anything," said Karen.

"I don't think anything is going to go wrong Karen," Audrey informed her.

"Maybe it won't, however just for me, as your friend please plan some sort of back up plan," pleaded Karen.

Audrey closed her eyes and sighed herself, "okay Karen, for you I will form a back up plan."

"Thank you," she told her.

"Your Welcome, and don't worry everything will be fine," Audrey reassured her.

"I hope so," she said, "good luck, talk to you later okay."

"Okay, bye," she said, they hung up. Audrey sat down on her bed thinking up a back up plan. _For Karen's benefit_ she thought. The more she thought of it, the more the idea became brighter.

24

Meanwhile, Chloe was at home thinking of how the conversation with Heller was going to go. The conversation between Audrey and her father tonight could determine the fate of one of her best friends, Jack. Her deep thought was interupted by the opening and shutting of the front door.

"Chloe, I'm back, are you here?" Morris called to her.

Still slightly destracted she didn't answer his call.

"Chloe?" he called again.

Finally she snapped out of it, "I'm in here!"

Seconds later he entered the room, "Hey darling! How's everything going?"

"Fine," she sighed.

"That fine does not sound like a 'fine'," he told her.

"It's just.." she trailed off.

Morris sat down next Chloe on the couch in the living room, "what? Tell me."

"Tonight Audrey is going to confront her father about what she's found on Jack," she told him.

"Oh," he exclaimed.

"Yeah, and I have no idea how Heller's going to take things," she said.

"He loves and is devoted to Audrey, I'm sure he'll help."

"Yeah, he loves Audrey, it's Jack that he's not as found of."

"I'm sure everything will be okay," he assured her.

"Don't be sure of anything when it comes to Jack," she told Morris then she fell into his arms as he opened them.

24

"What's going on now?" Bill asked Karen who was still sitting at the kitchen table after talking to Audrey.

"Audrey," she stated.

Bill sat down. "Do you want to talk about?"

Karen put her face in her hands, "I don't know what to talk about anymore."

She stood up and poured a cup of coffee, "she's going to tell her father tonight."

"About what?" Bill inquired.

"What she found on Jack," Karen answered.

"What exactly did she find?" Bill asked, a question he'd been asking for a long time.

Karen looked at him, she was leaning against the counter drinking her coffee, "fine."

"Are you going to tell me then?"

"I guess it couldn't hurt now," said Karen.

"Okay."

"It was a picture of the Chinese taking one of CTU's agents, the day that Jack faked his death," she told him.

"Oh."

"Yeah, she thinks she could do something with it, that's why she's going to tell Heller,: she told him.

"How do you think it will go?"

"Well you know Heller, I don't think anyone can guess," Karen said. "I told Audrey that she needs to form a back up plan I just hope she did it."


	28. Chapter 28

**OMG So sorry it's been this long! I'll definatly try posting more k! So here is an update! R&R as always please, reviews keep me sane and remember:**

**Updated Disclamer: I dont own 24 characters, though the plot of this is mainly mine accept for the stuff I try following from the seasons, but the rest is all my ideas! Plus the character of Claire is mine, dont try to steal it none of ya! jk BUT SHE'S MINE! (that was a few chapters back!lol) **

_Oh no!_ Is what Audrey thought when the doorbell rang, she wasn't sure if she was ready yet! However, she walked to the door and opened it.

"Dad, hi," she said immedently dragging him in and giving him a hug and kiss.

" Hi honey," he said, a little overwelmed by Audrey's reaction, everytime they spoke, she usually sounded annoyed.

"Ready for dinner?" she asked right away.

"Sure," he said.

"One second, I'll be right back, I need to grab my jacket," Audrey said running up the stairs as quickly as she could without falling in her heels. She went to get her coat that she'd left lying on her bed, after putting it on she pulled her cellphone out of her pocket and sent a text message to both Chloe and Karen saying that her father was here. Then she snapped it shut and ran back downstairs.

"Ready?" he asked questionably, it hadn't taken her over a minute just to grab a coat.

"Sorry, the coat I was going to wear had a stain on it, and well I'm a girl, took me a while to find another," she lied, playing the 'I'm your little girl' card.

"Okay," he said smiling. They went out to Heller's limo that was waiting for them.

Audrey was used to traveling in limo's with her father, it was just the way he traveled. Heller opened the door himself to let Audrey in then sat down himself, closing the door. The driver began away from the house following the route of the destination Heller had given him. They finally arrived at this nice little restraunt that Audrey had never been to. In the car, neither had spoke much, no doubt leaving the meaningless small talk they had saved for the actual dinner. Audrey of course was leaving the good conversation for after dinner.

"Reservations for Heller," he told the host once they were inside the restraunt.

"Yes, Jeff will take you there sir," she said, and the waitor lead the two to a table that Heller had requested. They took their seats and the waitor offered to bring them something to drank. Audrey said that water would be fine. He left to get the requested drink orders, Audrey and her father were left looking at their menus.

_Meanwhile, Karen and Chloe had recieved Audrey's messages. _

"I got a message from Audrey," Chloe told Morris.

"What does it say, anything on Heller?" he asked.

"Just that he's there," Chloe informed him.

"Oh, well that certainly helps doesn't it," Morris stated, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"I'm sure she was in a hurry,"Chloe told him. She knew this was true, but she couldn't help but wish that Audrey would have given her more, like what Heller had acted like, what kind of mood was he in? _Oh well_, she thought, now all she could do was wait for the night to end, so Audrey would call.

_Karen's message had been slightly different._

"What does it say?" Bill asked her.

"It says that Heller's there, she'll call when he leaves, and that she took my advice," Karen told him.

"She'll be fine, she's Audrey, if it were anyone else I might be worried, but it's her," Bill said, he could tell Karen was still uneasy, whether Audrey had actually formed a back up plan or not.

"But it's Heller Bill, he can be impossible sometimes, we've both worked with him," Karen said.

"Yeah, I know, but you have to admit, Audrey can handle it," he repeated.

"Okay, I guess you're right," she said, giving him a sort of half smile, she still couldn't help but worry, she knew Audrey loved her father, and she didn't want Audrey think differently of him if this didn't work out.

_Back at the restraunt. _

Both Audrey and her father had ordered their dinner.

"So how's CTU?" Heller asked, the meaningless conversation was about to began, or at least meaningless to Audrey.

"Fine, keeps me busy," she said.

"You should take a break honey," he told her.

Audrey smiled, he always took things in such a negitive way, "no Dad, it's the good kind of busy."

"Oh," he said, she was smiling, he smiled too, "I know that kind."

Audrey nodded looking at her water glass, then taking a drink.

A little while longer the food arrived, the conversation was better while they had something to do when the silence came. The only reason there was silence was because each had their own thoughts to hang onto.

A while later the food was gone and the two got up, Heller payed the bill and left Jeff the waitor a very nice tip. They went outside and returned to the limo. The driver drove to Audrey's house and pulled into her driveway. Her and Heller got to the door.

"Goodnight then Audrey," he said. She was a little taken by this, _Crap! _she thought.

"Do you want to come in?" she asked desperatly, though keeping a calm tone.

"No, I'm sure you're tired, I'll just go back home," he said, refering to the home he owned here in L.A.

"No, actually I'm wide awake," she said. She knew that he wouldn't believe that because she was tired. "Plus, I wanted to talk to you about something, in private."

"Oh, then I guess I come in then," he said, then he went and told the driver to wait a bit.

"So what do you want to tell me," he asked.

Audrey was scared now, what would he say? Suddenly she heard everything come pouring out of her mouth, how she'd gone to Washington without telling him, what she'd found, and if he could help.

Heller's expression was blank, this scared her. "And you're sure about this?"

"Yeah," Audrey confirmed, she didn't know yet if he was angry at her for hiding that she'd been to Washington.

"Why didn't you ask for my help in th first place?" he asked her, he was a little mad, but not explosive.

"Because you didn't want me looking," she admitted. "And Dad, I'm sorry I lied to you, I just need to get Jack back."

"Okay," he said. "What do you need?"

**I'm going to post another chapter as soon as I can, hopefully with some Martha/Aaron in it, I need to watch the end of the 5th season again to get that M/A feel! Review pleaze! I have school tomorrow! I have to remain sane!! **


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